Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 2
Themonstrositieswerehailingsomethingwhichhadpokeditselfoutofthenauseousaperturetoseizethehellishfareprofferedit. Itwassomethingquiteponderous,evenasseenfrommyheight;somethingyellowishandhairy,andendowedwithasortofnervousmotion. Itwasaslarge,perhaps,asagood-sizedhippopotamus,butverycuriouslyshaped. Itseemedtohavenoneck,butfiveseparateshaggyheadsspringinginarowfromaroughlycylindricaltrunk; thefirstverysmall,thesecondgood-sized,thethirdandfourthequalandlargestofall, andthefifthrathersmall,thoughnotsosmallasthefirst.
Outoftheseheadsdartedcuriousrigidtentacleswhichseizedravenouslyontheexcessivelygreatquantitiesofunmentionablefoodplacedbeforetheaperture. Onceinawhilethethingwouldleapup,andoccasionallyitwouldretreatintoitsdeninaveryoddmanner. ItslocomotionwassoinexplicablethatIstaredinfascination,wishingitwouldemergefartherfromthecavernouslairbeneathme.
Thenitdidemerge...itdidemerge,andatthesightIturnedandfledintothedarknessupthehigherstaircasethatrosebehindme; fledunknowinglyupincrediblestepsandladdersandinclinedplanestowhichnohumansightorlogicguidedme, andwhichImusteverrelegatetotheworldofdreamsforwantofanyconfirmation. Itmusthavebeenadream,orthedawnwouldneverhavefoundmebreathingonthesandsofGizehbeforethesardonicdawn-flushedfaceoftheGreatSphinx
